Creativity in the Workplace

June 30, 2016

“If you want creative workers, give them enough time to play.”–John Cleese

In our world today, the demand for creativity in employees is rising with the crazy technological advances daily. Some people think creativity is a trait we’re born with, but I think it can be learned and developed. If employers want those working for them to think outside the box, they should start rewarding creativity. Ask employees for suggestions, set goals, or give recognition. Employees are scared to take risks because they don’t know how their boss will support creativity. Be open-minded and less judgmental.

There are companies which encourage creativity in their employees, like Google, but it is very rare to give your employees this freedom. Google set up a “20% policy” where developers get to spend 20% of their working hours on side projects of their choosing. This has made Google a top place to work, with hundreds of thousands of people applying everyday. Many millennials looking at jobs research “culture” before an interview, to see if the opportunity will lead to innovative and exciting ideas. Zappos is another company known for their wonderful, laid back culture. All you have to do is type in a company on glassdoor.com and you’ll get lots of results on how employers treat their employees.

What are the benefits of a strong culture? A strong culture helps companies attract and keep committed employees, it strengthens the company’s brand, and it can be leveraged to execute strategy. According to this forbes.com article, Culture: Why it’s the Hottest Topic in Business Today, “culture” was the most popular word of the year in 2014. Creativity is rapidly changing from a “nice to have” to a “must have” quality for successful organizations.